But at that moment, Zeng Linghong had no time to think.
The third-rank Hunting Fox was fast. If he waited for it to strike first, he would be in trouble.
Zeng Linghong struck first, slashing repeatedly with his longsword and sending sword shadows straight at the Hunting Fox.
He was also using the Azure Cloud Sword Art, a sword art everyone on Little Bamboo Peak practiced!
Sword light howled and Sword Qi swept across the battlefield, rushing straight toward the third-rank Hunting Fox!
But just then, the Hunting Fox moved, turning into streaks of afterimages and vanishing in an instant.
Every slash Zeng Linghong unleashed missed!
The Sword Qi struck the ground nearby, instantly leaving several deep sword marks!
Seeing the third-rank Hunting Fox vanish, Zeng Linghong jumped in fright, inwardly crying that things were going badly.
Instead of retreating, Zeng Linghong lunged straight forward!
A biting gust grazed Zeng Linghong's back, instantly leaving a long tear in his clothes!
Zeng Linghong broke out in a cold sweat. Had he been a little slower, his life would have ended right there.
Without the slightest hesitation, Zeng Linghong waved his hand, bringing out a set of inner armor and putting it on!
Although this inner armor could only withstand attacks at the peak of the Qi Refining Ninth Layer, having it was better than nothing.
Three small swords then appeared in Zeng Linghong's hand. Without the slightest hesitation, he waved his hand, sending all three flying straight toward the third-rank Hunting Fox not far away!
All of this actually happened in a split second, but as fast as he was, the third-rank Hunting Fox was faster.
The third-rank Hunting Fox raised a claw and swatted, a faint sheen flickering over its claw as it knocked all three of Zeng Linghong's small swords away.
Then the third-rank Hunting Fox turned into streaks of afterimages and charged at Zeng Linghong.
It was far too fast, its speed well beyond Zeng Linghong's.
Meanwhile, Ji Wuchang had killed several Hunting Foxes in succession, all while keeping watch over the entire battlefield out of the corner of his eye!
In truth, Ji Wuchang's speed really could not compare to these Hunting Foxes'.
But his Eight Trigrams Wandering Dragon Steps were extremely intricate. As long as he held fast to a small patch of ground, he could remain undefeated.
Thus, more than a dozen Hunting Foxes had already fallen around Ji Wuchang.
Seeing his second senior brother in danger, Ji Wuchang frowned slightly. He had not expected a third-rank Hunting Fox to be among them either.
Just then, Zeng Linghong let out a muffled grunt. The third-rank Hunting Fox's claws caught his left arm, shattering the armor and mangling his flesh. The pain turned his face white.
"I can't drag this out any longer!"
Ji Wuchang knew he had no other choice, and a trace of ruthlessness appeared in his eyes.
His feet never stopped moving as he twisted and darted about, dodging the Hunting Foxes' attacks.
He formed seals with both hands, gathering spiritual power within the hand seals. A purple sphere appeared, giving off a trace of terrifying presence.
This was the purple qi sphere formed in Ji Wuchang's dantian from the purple qi he absorbed each day. He had now drawn it out.
Although the Purple Qi Heaven-Burning Art was a cultivation method, it also contained terrifying combat techniques.
What Ji Wuchang was about to unleash was precisely the Purple Qi Heaven-Burning Art's "Purple Qi Transforming into the Sun," which could kill enemies above his cultivation level!
But once he unleashed it, everything Ji Wuchang had accumulated during this time would be exhausted, and he would have to start accumulating purple qi again afterward.
Ji Wuchang could hardly concern himself with all that. His second senior brother's life mattered more.
But just as Ji Wuchang was about to thrust the purple sphere in his hands outward, a streak of Sword Qi descended from the sky, piercing straight through the third-rank Hunting Fox's skull!
The sudden turn of events stunned both Ji Wuchang and Zeng Linghong! They could not help looking up into the sky!
There in the sky stood a white-robed woman atop a longsword, her face veiled, with no trace of her presence revealed!
She simply stood there quietly without speaking, as though she formed a world unto herself.
"Greetings, Eldest Senior Sister! Thank you for saving me!"
Zeng Linghong hurriedly cupped his fist and spoke, his expression extremely respectful.
The eldest senior sister Zeng Linghong referred to was naturally not An Kexin, but the Longevity Sect's true eldest senior sister, Zhen Miaoqing!
She was the daughter of the Longevity Sect's sect master, Zhen Yaotian, and her cultivation had even reached the Purple Mansion Realm Second Layer!
"Greetings, Eldest Senior Sister!"
Ji Wuchang paused, then hurriedly cupped his fist in salute as well, a trace of admiration appearing in his eyes.
According to his memories of his previous life, Senior Sister Zhen Miaoqing would soon leave the Longevity Sect to travel the outside world!
A hundred years later, when the Longevity Sect faced a life-or-death crisis, Senior Sister Zhen Miaoqing, from whom there had been no news all that time, suddenly appeared. Her cultivation had even reached the Six Spirits Realm.
Beside her was an old man who was terrifying beyond compare! With one strike of his palm, he reduced the thousand-plus people invading the Longevity Sect to blood mist.
Ji Wuchang heard Zhen Miaoqing address him as Master.
But in his previous life, his cultivation had been far too low, and he did not know where this old man came from.
After that incident, Zhen Miaoqing left with her master, and Ji Wuchang never saw her again!
"Several fierce beasts have been fighting for supremacy in the back mountains recently, causing many fierce beasts to flee in every direction. You should return to the sect!"
Zhen Miaoqing's cool voice rang out. Then the longsword beneath her feet rose, carrying her away in an instant!
In mere moments, she vanished without a trace!
Zeng Linghong watched Zhen Miaoqing's departing figure, respect showing in his eyes.
This eldest senior sister of the Longevity Sect had a cold face but a warm heart. Whenever she encountered disciples of the Longevity Sect in danger, she would lend them a hand.
Zeng Linghong had never expected a training trip to the back mountains to be so dangerous!
By now, there were no Hunting Foxes left around them. The instant the third-rank Hunting Fox died, all the others had fled!
Ji Wuchang had long since withdrawn the purple sphere in his hands. Not having to use it was naturally best; after all, he had spent more than twenty days painstakingly condensing it.
Seeing his second senior brother's mangled left arm, Ji Wuchang hurried over to help bandage it.
"Junior Brother, I'm sorry. I never expected things to be so dangerous today."
"Now that I'm injured too, I need to go back and recuperate. Let's call off this training trip to the back mountains!"
Zeng Linghong spoke with an apologetic expression.
Hearing this, Ji Wuchang smiled and said, "Second Senior Brother, you go back first. I'll look around the outskirts. I haven't completed this month's sect assignment yet!"
Naturally, Ji Wuchang could not go back. He was here to retrieve treasures from a secret realm.
Hearing Ji Wuchang's words, Zeng Linghong frowned slightly. After pondering for a moment, he said, "Junior Brother, make sure you don't venture deep inside. Just look around the outskirts!"
"As for the monthly sect assignment, there are still ten or so days left this month. If it really comes to it, I'll accompany you to complete it then!"
Ji Wuchang was deeply moved by Zeng Linghong's words and hurriedly nodded in agreement!
The two then tidied up the battlefield, collecting the intact Hunting Foxes. Bringing these back to the sect would earn them rewards too.
Zeng Linghong gave Ji Wuchang a few more reminders before finally leaving.
Only after watching Zeng Linghong disappear did Ji Wuchang survey his surroundings. Then he chose a direction, his eyes burning!